


A Soul Is Waving

by NaraGal95



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Langst, M/M, Musical, Oneshot, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Songfic, Souls, dear evan hansen - Freeform, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25153672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaraGal95/pseuds/NaraGal95
Summary: Originally posted on Fanfiction.Net.After freeing Earth, Voltron and the reformed coalition return to space to completely free the universe from Galran oppression (so some time has passed since the ending of season 7). Along the way the team encounters another "space deity" similar to Bob, but she has a unique perspective on helping the team along. Langst, Klance.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	A Soul Is Waving

**Author's Note:**

> Copied straight from my old account on Fanfcition.net so please excuse any typos. Didn't really look over it.
> 
> Song used during story: "Waving Through A Window" from "Dear Evan Hansen". 
> 
> It's one of my favorite songs that I feel a close connection to. My depression and anxiety really criples my life and my self-confidence and I feel very close to this song and this musical.

"Why is it that things like this keep happening?" Hunk asks as he looks around the new situation they have all magically poof'ed into.

Here is the team, with some of the Atlas crew (Shiro, Veronica and the MFE pilots) in an energy chamber, a cube around them. It was multicolored and any time one of them touched the walls it felt like one of those old school plasma balls and the energy vibrated out in the shape of their hands until it dissipated into the rest of the cube.

Shiro and Keith were looking around, trying to see a means of an escape or a clue to where they were. Besides the cube they were in there was nothing. It was blank white around them, as if they were in an asylum. Pidge and Veronica were trying to take a grasp at the energy cube, chattering amongst them to see if there was a means of tampering with it.

The MFE quad were confused. This being their first time in deep space, and frankly not used to the shenanigans of extraterrestrial beings, were wondering how they could get from the flight hanger of the Atlas to this white blank nothingness inside this cube.

Both Lance and Allura were flabbergasted that this was a repeat of what had happened with them on that game show. This had that same _realness_ as that but _felt_ different. From whereas they were angry, scared and confused in the game show with Bob, here they felt strangely calm. Confused still, yet calm.

Lance looked around the cube to those trapped in it. Seeing everyone settling into their roles of trying to figure out a way out, working together. While he was left out… again. He sighed softly. It shouldn't be a shock nor a surprise yet here he was feeling both and not nearly as calm anymore.

"It is a pity… weaker beings tend to leave the prettier souls alone for too long." A female's musical voice sounded from behind Lance.

Everyone jumped; Lance jumping the highest, releasing a yelp as he turned on his heals, seeing a beautiful alien creature standing just outside the energy cube, looking straight at him. She was humanoid, with pale, almost translucent skin, long hair (?) sparkling like the stars and nebulas reaching down in curls around her waist. A white, almost toga like dress, hugged one shoulder and draped down in a seamless, one piece floor length gown, seemingly vanishing into the white vastness that surrounded them. Piercing purple (no pink… no red-blue—they were in fact multicolored Lance noticed this up close) eyes bored into Lance's blue ones, seemingly looking straight into his soul.

"Where are we? Who are you?" Keith immediately spoke. Stepping forward towards Lance, standing off-side yet behind Lance, the red lion paladin frozen in place as his gaze was trapped by their alien captor.

The staring contest continued for a few ticks, enraging Keith until the alien humanoid turned her head to look at Keith, for which it didn't have the same impact as her gaze did on Lance. But the moment her head turned Lance released a breath as if he wasn't breathing for minutes.

"You are in my domain, human. My name is Karasel."

"Why did you bring us here?" Keith continued.

Karasel tilted her head, her gaze leaving Keith to glance at everyone she has captured within her cell. "I had heard that Voltron returned to finish what it started. I wanted to see the beings behind them for myself." There was a pause as her eyes glistened over but no tears fell. It was as if a shimmer went over her eyes and everyone in the cube felt as Lance did—as if she was looking straight into their inner being. "And I must say," she finally spoke after her eyes returned to normal and that feeling left them all, "I'm very disappointed in you all."

Keith's eyes narrowed. He's been judged all his life, but at least it was people that were around him and somewhat knew him (some more than others). He didn't like this stranger before them judging them all on what was based on (he assumed) appearances and not on their actions. He was about to speak when their captor spoke again.

"All of your souls are beautiful… in their own way. Some more than others, all damaged slightly here and there. It occurs in a life filled with occurrences—it's to be expected. But there's nothing…" She sighed and looked at Lance again, her eyes sad. Her next words were directed to the red paladin and only the red paladin. "You probably have the most beautiful soul I've seen in a simple being. Yet it's so… clouded."

Lance swallowed, his heart hammering and his voice trapped in his throat. I was all a weird feeling since the overall atmosphere around him was still calm.

The alien continued. "I can see from your soul that _you_ are the one that keeps Voltron together. I would even go as far as saying you might have _become_ the soul of Voltron. In a way a soul is what holds a being together, gives them life. And you, not only brought the paladins together, you _kept_ them together too. But that came at a cost—a cost birthed from your selflessness and already pre-existing insecurities."

Keith glanced at Lance beside him. He could see the other paladin tense up. Behind him he heard his sister call out. "Leave him alone!" She cried as she came forward.

A bright flash of light shined, freezing everything for a tick or two before it disappeared. Lance now stood outside the cube, meters away from them all, Karasel standing beside him.

"Lance!" Several within the cube cried. The paladins, plus Veronica and Shiro, went up to the wall closest to their friend, their hands on the energy wall causing vibrations throughout the cube.

"I won't hurt him." Karasel assured the worried group as she turned to Lance. He was staring at them. Frozen in a fight or flight stance. "You may relax, Lance." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and he jumped slightly, turning his head to look at her. "I _want_ Voltron to succeed. There are many damaged souls out there, some too far gone to be saved, but perhaps if Voltron is victorious the healing can start. It may take deca-phoebs… but time heals all wounds."

"What does that have to do with _me_?" Lance spoke finally, words shivering from the contact of her hand still upon his shoulder.

"You hold Voltron together." She said matter-of-factly. "But at the current state there's no _true_ connection. Beings always abuse and use the most glorious of souls—intentionally or not that's always a fact. But your soul needs to accept itself and in turn they—"She waves her free hand towards the cube,"—must accept you as well. With all the beautiful colors of your being _and_ the cloudy bits." She leans in closer her mouth hovering near his ear. "Though I'm afraid it may cause more stress on you for the time being. But it will be worth it." Faintly they both heard a "get away from him" emanating from the cube. They both ignored it as she leaned away and stepped back, locking her gaze with Lance once more. "But then again, that's something you're used to. Sine you're so selfless, I mean."

She stepped away and looked towards the cube. In a dramatic fashion she bowed deeply, arms flayed out gracefully as she curtsied towards them. "Behold, Voltron, the wondrous powers of Karasel—Mistress of Universal Song, the Soul-Seer and Visionary of the Divine Heart." As she rose she flicked her wrist towards Lance, blue, gas like energy coming from her fingers, sparkling like her hair and shimmering like her eyes, surrounding Lance like a bubble.

Those trapped in the cube pushed towards the wall keeping them away from their friend and teammate, worried that this Karasel, though she said she wouldn't harm him, would indeed go against her word.

Instead of a pained expression or sounds thereof, Lance looked around confused while he was engulfed in the gas, raising his hand up and down as he felt the gas like energy through fingers; it coming in _and_ through him. Suddenly the keys of a piano were playing in the vast white emptiness of wherever they were. Lance stopped waving his hand through the gas and—as if in a trance—let the music lead him. He was always a fan of music and had a flare for the dramatics, but this was different. This was as if the music _was_ he, and he _was_ the music in return.

Karasel herself disappeared just as magically as she appeared as the music began to flourish from its start. And then suddenly, Lance began to sing.

_"I've learned to slam on the brake  
Before I even turn the key  
Before I make the mistake  
Before I lead with the worst of me..."_

Lance looked towards the cube and his friends, the energy's colors fading away to an invisible hue, though Lance knew it was still there with him. Encoring him to keep going.

_"Give them no reason to stare  
No slipping up if you slip away  
So I got nothing to share  
No, I got nothing to say..."_

His eyes rested on Keith more, his heart thumping and his soul twisting, the words he was singing was exactly what Lance has been feeling ever since they officially became Voltron. His doubt and insecurities have never been stronger as when he joined something larger than himself, larger than the universe. That stress weighing on him stronger than anything he's ever felt in his life. It became worse when he became the red paladin.

Doing a quick turn so that his back faced the others, Lance continued, walking away as he did so:

_"Step out, step out of the sun  
If you keep getting burned  
Step out, step out of the sun  
Because you've learned, because you've learned..."_

Suddenly the area around them changed. It was the halls of the garrison in their school days, before that fateful night where they would all find the blue lion and start their adventure. Lance's own clothing changed to his garrison uniform. Was it actuality or a hallucination? Lance didn't know. All he knew was that he had to keep singing—keep _going_.

_"On the outside, always looking in  
Will I ever be more than I've always been?  
'Cause I'm tap, tap, tapping on the glass  
I'm waving through a window."_

He was standing in the hallway, alone, the words and phrases of what others had called him during school floating around him.

'Idiot.'

'Class clown.'

'The Tailor. As if.'

'Ladies' man.'

'He plays too much.'

'Poser.'

'Comedian.'

'Immature.'

A younger Keith, also in his garrison uniform, comes down the hallway, alone. His face is scowling and his gaze is downward as he walks towards Lance. Lance takes notice and smiles, brightly. He raises a hand towards Keith as he sings.

_"I try to speak, but nobody can hear  
So I wait around for an answer to appear  
While I'm watch, watch, watching people pass..."_

Younger Keith walks briskly past Lance and he twirls around to watch as the younger Keith continues to walk away. Garrison Shiro, in his uniform, emerges from a classroom with Adam, and Keith raises his head and waves to them. When he stands before the two teachers Lance can see a small smile upon the usually brooding teen's face. Lance's hand drops to his side sadly. Ignored again.

Present Keith, trapped in the cube, feels his hands drop to the side too. Were these visions what real? They seemed to be Lance's memories being projected. Is this the start of Lance's rivalry towards him? Because he tried to reach out to him in school and Keith, who had gotten so good at pushing people away, ignored the other teen trying to be friends with him? He felt eyes stare at him. Probably Veronica and Shiro most likely—maybe Hunk too—as the scene continued.

Lance, defeated, turned his body away and his head to look down. He would stop trying to reach to the other boy. And instead admiration would turn into pain and hurt, and eventually anger.

_"I'm waving through a window, oh..._

_Can anybody see, is anybody waving back at me?"_

When he looks up he sees younger Hunk and Pidge coming towards him, smiling and waving. Lance musters a smile and waves back.

The scene changes and Lance is in his normal jacket hoodie and jeans. They are in the Castle of Lions, which brings nostalgia to the original space adventurers. Lance is walking in the holding area for the lions, all of them in their usual spots.

_"We start with stars in our eyes  
We start believing that we belong,"_

He walks to Blue and her shield is up, just like when she was rejecting him when Keith became the black paladin. Lance turns to Red and the air around them is thick, unfamiliar. Lance shies away from him and walks out of the chamber.

_"But every sun doesn't rise  
And no one tells you where you went wrong!"_

The scene briskly changes to the inner hallways of the castle. Lance is walking down with his hands in his pockets. He stops before a door and stares at it. Then a copy of Lance projects itself out of him, stepping forward to knock on the door. When the door opens the scene pulls out and offers more information. It's Keith's room, and the vision of Keith is standing there, allowing Lance to come in.

_"Step out, step out of the sun  
If you keep getting burned  
Step out, step out of the sun  
Because you've learned, because you've learned..."_

Projection Lance walks in while the actual Lance moves offside of the door and leans against the outside wall besides Keith's door, seemingly listening to the conversation behind the door that slides shot; those in the cube seeing the scene from the side, seeing both halves of the wall between real Lance and the projections.

_"On the outside, always looking in  
Will I ever be more than I've always been?  
'Cause I'm tap, tap, tapping on the glass  
Waving through a window..."_

As actual Lance pushes himself away from the wall, Projection Lance walks out of the room, a warm, unconfident, but happy smile on his face as he processed what Keith told him.

Keith inside the cube felt his heart tighten. Did he really make Lance smile like that? He couldn't have seen that smile from the angle they were standing at. But had what he said really impacted the other boy like that? He felt a hand on his shoulder; it was Shiro's, as he smiled proudly down at Keith. But Keith didn't want that smile. He turned back and watched as the scene changed as Projection Lance disappeared with the changing scene.

_"I try to speak, but nobody can hear  
So I wait around for an answer to appear  
While I'm watch, watch, watching people pass..."  
_

The entirety Voltron team is in this scene. All of them in their armor as they look towards Keith in his Blade of Marmora armor. He's leaving to go join them since Shiro came back. No one pays any attention to Lance as they look towards Keith—always the attention on Keith. Lance is distraught. Just as he thought he was finally, _finally_ , getting through to him. Getting closer to him. At least he thought. And here he is leaving them. After _he_ had said to not worry about being a part of the team and making it all work out. He felt anger, hurt, sadness and another emotion Lance couldn't quite place.

As they huddled together for a hug, Lance broke off into two again, his projection self the one in the hug as Lance looked on, a hand clenching over his chest as he watched. He continued watching the whole scene as Keith walked out, the doors closing behind him.

_"Waving through a window, oh  
Can anybody see, is anybody waving?"_

Everything dropped away and in its place was the inner quintessence of Voltron, the stars and dark backdrop surrounding them all. And brightly shining in the background was the red and blue stars of the lions, close together but always apart. Lance was looking towards those stars as the paladins (minus Keith) surrounded him in a circle.

_"When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around  
Do you ever really crash, or even make a sound?"_

He first looked towards Hunk and Pidge, his friends from the garrison. At first they were smiling and looking towards him but instantly they changed as they were working on some scientific, engineer thing Lance couldn't quite understand.

_"When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around  
Do you ever really crash, or even make a sound?"_

He looked to Allura next, who too, was at first smiling at him. But then Lotor appeared and the two became close and giggly, a romantic air around them. Lance shook his head and quickly turned away from that.

_"When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around  
Do you ever really crash, or even make a sound?"_

Next was Shiro, as he stood there, smiling and strong. But then his eyes turned to a purple-red color. Clone Shiro had replaced the original, a dark air around him, menacing and threatening making Lance stumble back from him.

_"When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around  
Do you ever really crash, or even make a sound?"_

When Lance turned again it was Keith, once more in his Marmoran armor, and this time it was a projection of his current form. Lance stepped forward to him, hand raised once more in greeting. And once again Keith walked past and Lance froze for a moment before he turned and stared at Keith. Back to square one.

Lance shook his head and started to quickly circle around in place, looking once more at each of the different scenes before him, seeing all of them alienating him, proving to himself that he's not such a fundamental part of this team as he was beginning to hope he was.

_"Did I even make a sound?  
Did I even make a sound?  
It's like I never made a sound  
Will I ever make a sound?"_

The miniature scenes dropped away and in their place images of Lance circled around him, the edges of each scene blurred and colored with the souls it portrayed:

When he was in his coma: the one he got when he protected Coran—he's in the healing chamber.

Making that skillful shot that saved Slav.

Staying besides Keith when he first became the black paladin, giving him encouragement.

_"On the outside, always looking in  
Will I ever be more than I've always been?  
'Cause I'm tap, tap, tapping on the glass  
Waving through a window..."_

Worried about Hunk when they were getting the yellow lion for the first time.

Lance shooting at the Galran fighter as he protected Veronica. Death seeming inevitable.

The red paladin as he watched over the team as they infiltrated that Galran base on Earth.

Lance pushing Allura and Blue out of that beam and actually dying within Red's cockpit, if even for a moment.

_"I try to speak, but nobody can hear  
So I wait around for an answer to appear  
While I'm watch, watch, watching people pass  
Waving through a window, oh..."_

Keith, in the cube, whipped around and looked at Allura, eyes wide. She looked to him with sorrowful eyes. And as he looked around he saw that no one else was surprised. He got angry. He couldn't believe that they didn't mention that Lance had actually _died_ while he was away. Did they all feel like it wasn't important enough to mention since he's obviously still standing, alive, before them?

He turned back to Lance, hands on the walls of the cube once more, as they slowly turned into fists.

Lance stopped circling as the many images of him stopped cumulating.

_"Can anybody see, is anybody waving back at me?_

_Is anybody waving?  
Waving, waving, whoa-oh, whoa-oh!"_

As the song finished Lance twirled around in a circle, his arms extended as if he wanted to push the images away, which seemed to work as everything slipped away by his last note that he belts out. As the music fades and everything returns to the vast whiteness, Lance stands there, breathing heavily and slightly bent over, his body shaking with the amount of energy he took in and at the same time expelled projecting those images.

There was nothing but silence as eventually the red paladin crumpled heavily to his knees.

" _LANCE!"_ Keith yelled as he punched the cube, the energy from the impact reverberating through the whole structure.

Karasel appears again, in a crouched position besides Lance, a hand extending out to him.

"Don't touch him!" Keith yells again. He faintly hears Veronica sniffling beside him; she grief stricken by what Lance has been feeling for so long.

Karasel freezes and looks up towards the others. She stands, posture strong and almost dangerous. "Now you show concern? This poor creature has done enough for you all, yet asked for nothing in return but compassion. You have no right to this soul. If he remains here, he will be freed from all that ails him."

Keith growled, his glare as sharp as daggers towards the alien humanoid.

She continues: "Perhaps I should put you all through the same experience? Let's see what your souls speak out. It only speaks truths when I subject it to this."

She raises a hand towards them when suddenly a hand grasps her wrist tightly. She freezes and looks towards the source of that hand.

Lance.

He stands shakily on his legs, breathing still labored. "No…" He strains out. He looks up with his eyes, head still downcast as he tries to breathe. "Don't."

There are a few ticks as she stares at him in disbelief. "You still protect them."

"It's my job." Lance says as he straightens, finding the strength to convey his message strongly. "I'm the right hand of Voltron, second in command and the protector of my team. No matter what I go through—physical pain, hurt, death—I will _always_ save them." He pushes her arm down and with his other hand he summons his bayard, a red Altean broadsword springing forth.

Keith feels the breath escape him, and the rest of the team gasps—all save Allura. He leaves a mental note to ask about that later, though his heart tightens at the prospect of what the answer could be.

Lance steps between Karasel and the cube, a shield between him and his friends, as he raises the sword up to her. "You will not touch them." A beat passes. "And you're going to let us go. We have a job to finish. We can't waste any more time here."

The alien glances up and down Lance. Her eyes glisten over again and Lance stiffens as her gaze goes through him and behind him.

In her eyes she sees the colors of the souls of those before her.

Hues of purples, greens, blues, reds, pinks, yellows, white and gray, all were clamoring together, some tying to others and some still just reaching.

But it was the blue and red coming from Lance and Keith, reaching towards each other to form a purple connection between them that Karasel was looking at.

She looked back to Lance's soul, whose was mostly blue but emitted colors of red, purple, white, silver (rare in simple creatures), unfortunately gray and most unfortunately black (death does that to a soul). She knew this soul was rare, to have so many parts yet to be held so closely together, despite everything, was so beautiful.

Her eyes returned to normal and she stepped away from Lance.

She smiled then and Lance faltered, his sword lowering as he felt her piercing gaze become one of softness. She was now looking _at_ him—his physical being—and not what lies inside. "I'm sure this has been a learning experience for all of us. Including myself." Another beat passes and her gaze shifts so that she is looking at all of them. "You will do well Voltron and its allies. I will be relying on you to fix the darkness that is tainting the beautiful souls of the universe."

Her eyes flit to Lance, and she smiles solely for him. "You have my blessing." She said then, her words holding a double meaning Lance feels as suddenly they are transported back to the holding bay of the lions and the MFEs.

Coran squeaks as the group appear before them. "Where did you all go?" He yells as he flitters around them, the Holt family and some other crew of the Atlas blinking at the team as they gained their bearings.

"We got teleported to this area where it was like Garfle Warfle Snick but it wasn't an annoying game show but instead this alien—Karasel I think her name was—"Hunk rambled before Coran interrupted him.

"Karasel? You met her too? She's the divine goddess of music, the soul and of blessing and curses."

"She can't possibly bless and curse at the same time." Pidge stated.

"No, not at the same time but while Bob tests adventurers in their journeys, Karasel is the one that can either bless your mission for success or curse it with a test of her own. I heard usually through music." Coran was about to continue when Shiro's sharp voice rang out.

"Guys." Shiro glared at them and then glanced back to Lance, who was frozen in place. His bayard had returned to his rest form but he was staring blankly ahead, Keith and Veronica were at his side, staring at him in concern.

"Lance." Veronica called out to him as she reached out. "Brother, are you alright?" She asked, gently touching his arm.

"Lance…" Keith's voice came out soft as he hesitantly reached out to Lance's other arm. Lance suddenly collapsed, however, Keith the first to move quickly, catching Lance before he fell on the floor but he too sunk to his knees, cradling the other paladin in his arms. 

"Lance!" Veronica yelled as she knelt on the ground, the others and crew members running towards them in concern.

"Ah, man." Hunk sighed as he knelt beside Veronica. "I don't think we're doing so hot with her test right now. I mean… she showed us so much through Lance and we're…" Hunk's voice broke, tears welling up as he thought of his best friend. "We're still ignoring him…"

Keith's hands clenched around Lance, his eyes watching as the red bayard had disappeared into Lance's armor. "We're not going to do that anymore…" Keith promised as he quickly gathered Lance in his arms and brushed past everyone to get him to the infirmary. With no healing pods there was no clue as to how long Lance would require healing—if that was in fact what he needed—and that thought pained Keith.

He could hear footsteps behind him as he walked but he had blinders on with only one task in mind. He needs Lance to wake up. He needs to talk to him.

**Later…**

Lance could feel the pain coming from his head (and his heart? No… more correctly his soul…) as he slowly came to. The lights were bright in the surrounding he was in but he didn't feel like he was in danger—nor in that white abyss they were trapped in. Instead he felt comfortable, and besides the pain that lingered, he was all right. Blinking to adjust to the light he groaned softly, eyes shutting for couple ticks as the light stung his eyes.

"You're waking up…" A strained voice sounded beside him.

If Lance had the energy to tense up he would have. Instead he pried his eyes open and looked towards the source of that sound. Even though the light from the room was still blinding him he could make out who it was without being able to see—he could have made out who it was no matter what.

Keith.

"Hey…" Lance weakly greeted as his eyes finally adjusted. "How long was I out?"

"Two days." Keith responded. Eyes pointed towards Lance. The red paladin noticed his leader looked like he hadn't slept in those two days, and he was wearing his common clothes—since he had grown his old red jacket of his didn't fit but he found something similar, it was weird but Lance mused to himself that he liked seeing Keith in something that wasn't armor or a uniform.

"Hmm." The red paladin hummed as he turned his head away to stare at the ceiling. "I feel like I need another two days. Or a week."

"You just collapsed when we got back."

"Yeah… it was just… _so_ much energy." Lance began. "Her energy surging through me to make those projections but then… all that energy was just leaving at the same time."

Keith didn't respond but Lance could feel the boy's (man's?) worry beside him so he continued. "But I feel fine now. Well better, honestly. I still feel like crap."

"I uh…" Keith stammered, trying to phrase his next sentence. "The team and some of the crew kept coming in to check on you. Between jobs and during break times. Whenever they could. Hunk came the most, but that's not a surprise. He wants to make you cookies when you wake up so expect those once I tell him. And the Holt family they—"

"Stop." Lance interrupted. He tried raising a hand but couldn't muster it. "I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it but it's not necessary."

Keith ignored him. "They collected some things from some of the planets we visited along the way, though it wasn't many just three, and they can't wait to confuse you science stuff."

"Keith. Seriously."

"Allura was worried too." Keith's voice cracked so he cleared his throat. "She's stopped by a couple times too so…"

"Keith for quiznak's sake shut up." Lance groaned. "I don't need you to tell me that everyone was worried about me. I get it."

"No, Lance." Keith shot back. "All we saw was how you weren't being treated well. And I mean I knew about what you were feeling but I didn't know—"

"And I didn't _want_ you to know. _Any_ of you." Lance countered, blue eyes glaring into purple. "Do you think I _wanted_ to show you all of that? No. Why? Because I didn't want to make it a big deal out of it. I know that I'm not as appreciated and I'm fine with that. As long as all of you are safe I'll do anything and go through anything to make sure the team stays together."

"But Lance—"

"That's _my_ role." Lance says strongly. " _My_ job, Keith." Lance's eyes soften. "I figured it out a while ago… what my role is in the team. It's to protect you—all of you. To make sure we stay as friends, that Voltron can keep forming, that no one else gets hurts but me because _I_ can take it. I'm strong enough to and I'm happy to."

Keith sighed heavily and looked away from Lance. The silence stretched as Lance waited for the team leader to speak. When he didn't the red paladin sighed and looked up towards the ceiling again.

"Let's start at the beginning… I always knew I was going to have troubles." Keith blinked and looked back at Lance as the other boy continued. "I was always the class clown but I always cared about my grades so it was weird and I understood that it was. I come from a smart family—not as smart as Pidge's obviously—but they were all smart. I couldn't let them down so I tried my hardest. And then here's this _kid_ with no family and really no background beating everyone in _everything_." Keith knew that it was him that Lance was talking about. He remained silent as Lance continued.

"And all I could think was 'wow… this kid's amazing. Like sort of Hamilton or whatever'. And all I wanted was to befriend him." Keith's heart tightened. "But he was emo and didn't talk to anyone so I failed in making a friend."

"Hey…" Keith intervened, a small smile on his face.

Lance chuckled as he looked at Keith. "You _were_ very much emo." A beat passed and Lance's smile dropped. "I was upset that this student I admired ignored me, no matter how hard I tried."

"Lance I'm so sorry I—"

"So I created this rivalry but it didn't change the fact I respected him. And that respect has _never_ died. Not once." Lance looked to Keith, a small blush upon his face. "I meant it, Keith. During Garfle Warfle Snick. You _are_ the future and I place that much trust in you to bring us all to that future."

Keith blushed and his back straightened. "Why… why are you saying this now?"

"Because _you_ didn't believe me."

"What?"

"I don't believe that you picked me to leave just 'cause you didn't want to be stuck for an eternity with me."

"Lance that's—"

"So, I just wanted to let you know why I said that. Because I admire you. I respect you. I trust you. And for whatever reason I…"

"You what, Lance?"

Lance's blush turned redder and he whipped his head away. "Nothing."

"Lance!" Keith groaned as his body sunk into the chair he was sitting in. After a couple moments of silence Keith spoke up. "I didn't mean that. I was just… so thrown off by what you said I… I don't know panicked?" Keith shook his head at himself. Every time he goes back to think about it he kicks himself for being an idiot. "I was going to say that… you _are_ what holds the team together. When I first became Black's paladin I was horrible as a leader, but you kept me in check. And Karasel did have a point of you being the most self-sacrificing. I thought that if anyone deserved to get out it was you for those reasons. I thought you should go back to Earth and see your family. And not be stuck there being attacked for being dumb—which you aren't! You're stupid at times yeah but that's not like _stupid_ stupid. Just like a class clown like you said and—"

Lance's laughter interrupted Keith. "I'm glad you didn't say that during that stupid game show." His arm came across his eyes, remaining there. "You're totally rambling."

Keith glared (playfully) at Lance but that changed when he heard a soft sound coming from the paladin before him. "Lance?" Keith leaned forward and the sound came again which confirmed what Keith thought he heard. It was sobbing. "Lance, please… I… first Hunk and now you I can't deal with crying…"

"Just shut up and let me cry." Lance said, Keith seeing a sad smile come across the Cuban's lips. "Geez… you're so bad at consoling."

"Hey! In your little projection I saw you smiling when you left my room on the castle. I think I'm pretty good at consoling."

"Oh, quiznak. I hate how much you guys saw!" Lance said, smiling more happily, his arm still covering his eyes.

"I know you didn't want us to know all of that but I'm glad I saw it. It's taught me a lot about you Lance. Like, I didn't even know you tried being friends with me at the garrison."

"Yeah, 'cause you're a jerk."

"I am not."

"And you left just as I was starting to get more comfortable in the group."

"I won't leave again."

"And you said you didn't want to be stuck with me for eternity."

"I already apologized for that."

"… with you…" Lance mumbled.

"What?"

From underneath Lance's arm there was the signs of a blush spreading across his face. "I said…! I said I wouldn't mind being stuck for an eternity with you…"

"…" Keith blinked at Lance, blush spreading across his own face.

"I love Hunk, he's an awesome best friend, but out of everyone… I would pick you… always."

Before Keith could stop himself his he spoke his thought aloud. "…What about Allura?"

That got Lance to remove his arm from his eyes, his eyes slightly puffy from crying and his face still red from blushing. "Why are you bringing her up now?"

Keith, embarrassed and panicking began to ramble. "Well, the two of you have gotten closer since we returned to Earth and she knew about your bayard being able to turn into a sword when no one else knew—I mean a sword? When'd that happen? And how? And well, you've always were flirting with her and not with me—unless you were and I couldn't tell—were you flirting with me at any point? I know I did a little with you… oh quiznak I shouldn't have said that. I—"

Lance jutted up to a sitting position, energy renewed, and raised a hand to Keith's face, thumb gently rubbing over the scar on his face. Their faces were close together—too close maybe, but neither of them did anything but move their faces closer until their foreheads tapped gently, Keith shutting his eyes as he felt he would die from embarrassment.

"Listen closely Mr. Team Leader," Lance started, prompting Keith to open his eyes slowly, "there's nothing between Allura and me. She was mistaking her feelings of gratitude for me for always being on her side and I just didn't want to abuse those feelings like Lotor did. _And_ I did flirt with you—like a child but I did. _And_ I realized that my feelings I had for you were the same I had for Allura when you came back. I could never think that seeing someone walk back into my life would bring me as much joy as you did—even if you did ignore me. But that's okay because…" Lance sighed and smiled lovingly at Keith. "You said you'll never leave again, and I will make sure you never have to again."

"You won't have to…" Keith started, smiling fondly. "As long as you're alive, I'll stay." He shut his eyes and brought a hand to Lance's face. "Just don't die again… please."

"I'll try."

Finally the last gap between them closed and their lips joined together in a chaste, sweet first kiss, ending as quickly as it started. They lingered with their foreheads together for a moment before Keith spoke up again, Keith moving back to look at Lance's face. "I am sorry I left. I thought I was making a good decision with Shiro back and letting you figure out your role as the second. I didn't think it would make things worse."

"You don't have to apologize. You found out more about yourself and found your mom and that space wolf. I would never take that away from you."

"… Hmm… Oh! How did you get that sword?"

"I was training alone—I did that a lot when you were gone since I had no one else to hang out with—and I just couldn't hit a dang target so I got upset at myself and next thing I know I swung and there was a sword."

"How come Allura knew about it? No one else knew about it." Keith said quickly.

Lance chuckled. "Your jealously is showing." He poked playfully at Keith's arms before answering his question. "She was going to do some own solo training when she walked in as the sword popped out. And I didn't tell anyone else until I felt more confident in the sword skills. I'm no you when it comes to that weapon that's for sure."

"I'm sure you'll do fine in a practice fight with me."

The red lion paladin scoffed. "Maybe in a practice fight but in a real fight I'd be dead."

"Speaking of which, you died and no one told me!"

"Oh, yeah… well… it's no big deal, really. I had pushed her and Blue out of the way of this killer ray beam and I _may_ have died for a couple minutes but Allura used this Altean magic and brought be back."

"You're saying it like it wasn't a big deal."

Lance shrugged. "I'm not dead anymore aren't I?"

"Lance!" Keith scowled. "You have to be more careful."

"Dude, I really can't. I just act, I don't think. That's what makes me dumb."

"You are _not_ dumb!"

Lance laughed honestly then, grinning madly. "I just said that to get you riled up. I know I'm not dumb."

"Obviously. You wouldn't have been second to me in class if you were dumb. I think you even had better grades than Griffin, even though he was a better flier than you."

"Yeah I did have better grades but—hey! Wait a sec, you said you didn't know who I was when we saved Shiro back on Earth!"

Keith blinked and smiled sheepishly. "Did I?"

"Yeah, you asked me who I was! And that annoyed the hell out me since I was trying to be friends with you for years!"

Keith smiled at his second in command. "I may have lied. I knew who you were. You were the only one that was close to me in grades."

Lance squinted his eyes at Keith. "Oh, I hate you so much."

Keith was about to respond with some snarky response when lips closed over his own. Lance had kissed him again, this time with more vigor and with a big smile on the Cuban boy's face. Keith smiled into the kiss and returned the show of affection, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment better.

A sound of a throat being cleared was heard from the doorway and the two kissing males broke apart, blushing madly and heads turning towards the sound. Shiro and the rest of Voltron, as well as Krolia, Kosmo, Coran, Veronica and even the MFE pilots were standing in/around the door inside the room, most smiling. "Oh, don't let us interrupt you." Shiro began, a knowing smile on his face.

Pidge pushed the glasses up from her nose as she smirked at them. "We've only been standing here for a couple dobashes now."

"What?!" Lance yipped as his and Keith's face turned redder.

"Very cute display of affection, bro." Veronica said with a wink. "In fact, I think that you've never acted that way to anyone before~. Must be lo—"

" _Shut up!"_ Lance interrupted as he reached for the pillow behind him.

The group of friends laughed as the pillow flew across the room, Veronica catching the pillow with ease before it could hit her.

"All I can say is _finally_!" Hunk added as he grinned to his best friend. "He was always going nonstop about you Keith. Always asking _me_ what cool things you did—"

"Oh my God—shut up!" Lance groaned as he fell back on the bed, moving the sheets up to cover his face.

Keith, who had no place to hide, straightened and turned his back away from the group clustered at the door.

The group laughed again as they all shuffled in, genuinely wanting to check up on the red paladin. They clustered around the bed, Lance eventually slinking out from the sheets to talk with the team and his friends. Keith inched his chair closer to Lance to allow more people around him, his hand eventually on top of Lance's (almost sneakily if it wasn't for Veronica and Shiro noticing the movement).

Lance turned his hand around so that their fingers could interlace and the two males smiled at each other's touch. As conversations, jokes and laughs continued in the room, the celestial goddess Karasel watched on through an energy globe before her, in her never ending white domain, as the souls of Voltron's paladins and the coalition members got closer and closer together. She smiled at her success and her blessing towards the would-be defenders of the entire universe; her heart warm at the connection between Keith and Lance—stronger now with an indestructible purple tendril tying them together.


End file.
